From the Classifieds: 2002 Toyota Celica

Probably best known for its classification as the original Hairdresser’s Car, Toyota’s Celica has been maligned almost from the moment of its introduction in the early 1970s.

Generally dismissed as a classic example of style without substance, the Toyota coupe has little credibility among those who would describe themselves as true car enthusiasts.

For most of its time, the Celica pretty much earned its less than flattering title: From rear-drive to front-drive, the small coupe failed to demonstrate any standout attributes other than its inherent reliability and solid feel. Body styles varied over the years with two-door coupes, three-door coupes, notchback two-door coupes and (except in Australia) two-door convertibles.

Although the Celica was dynamically pretty sound, the engine choices (apart from GT-4 turbo and six-cylinder Supra variants) were mostly uninspiring.

But, even if much of the flack it attracted was probably justifiable, the Celica has a few bright points in its long history.

Seemingly almost unwittingly, Toyota punctuated the Celica’s 35-year lifespan with a couple of impressive models – the fourth generation front-drive model introduced in the mid 1980s with a nicely balanced chassis, neat styling and satisfying punchy twin-cam performance, and the final Celica, the seventh generation three-door coupe-only model unveiled in Australia in 1999.

Where some of the less sneered-at models managed to find one or two positive attributes – usually to do with handling/roadholding qualities – both the first front-drive Celica from 1986 and the final, seventh iteration were balanced in just about every way.

It’s likely few people would argue the 1999 car was undoubtedly better than any previous Celica (apart from the fourth-generation model).

This has to do with its overall styling – in fact the late-1990s Celica still looks contemporary today – and the powertrain. Headlined by a smaller-capacity, 140kW/180Nm 1.8-litre atmo engine co-developed with Yamaha to produce more kilowatts than any previous model other than the early-1990s GT-4. This willing little powerplant contributed overtly sporty overtones.

So the seventh-generation Celica had the twin benefits of a capable chassis and an engine that delivered satisfying, high-revving but flexible punch through either a six-speed manual gearbox or a sequential-shifting four-speed auto.

But, for the Celica, seven generations was enough. After a long career that began locally in 1971, the car’s place in the Toyota lineup was vacated when the last Celica rolled off the production lines in Japan in April 2006.

Today there are plenty of Celicas available on the second-hand market, and the final-generation model is well represented.

About as good an example as you are likely to find is this black 2002 manual-transmission car from the Sydney suburb of Parramatta.

With less than 18,000km showing on the odometer (the owner says the tyres only show around 20 per cent wear), the car has lived a sheltered, garaged life and is free of the ravages of time apart from what are described as minimal scratches on the exterior.

In an interior described as looking “brand new”, an unexpected fillip is the custom-made leather seats.

The ultra-low kilometres are reflected in a price well above the norm.

Although it is easily possible to find seventh generation Celicas for less than $10,000, this one on carsales.com.au comes with an asking price of $23,000. However, as the owner suggests, it’s unlikely there’d be many Celicas available in comparable condition, or with comparable kilometres.